Sammy Keyes and The Museum Tunnel
by Karebear4Christ
Summary: Updated! Sammy runs into some trouble at the museum,can Casey save her before it's too late? Please R&R!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Sammy Keyes, Sammy Keyes belongs to the wonderful Wendelin Van Draanen **

**A/N: This story has been through an edit of spelling/grammatical mistakes. This summer it will be completely rewritten.**

I was with Marissa, Dot, and Holly and we were at the mall. This new store called Hollister had just opened and Marissa was just dying to go inside. Me, not so much. One thing, I was afraid we'd run into Heather Acosta or worse… Casey. And the mall just isn't my thing. So we were heading to Hollister. I was walking backwards so I could listen to Marisa talk about something (I wasn't_ really_ listening) when smack! I ran into someone.

I quickly turned around to see who it was, but I turned away when I saw who it was. _It was not __him__ lying on the mall floor with a bloody nose _

"Crap!" I said out loud, "Casey, are you okay"

I was afraid I'd hurt him. Everyone except me and Casey were laughing. I gave Casey my hand and help him up. He goes," Finally!"

"Sorry! Casey, I'm sorry!" I say.

"That's okay!" Casey tells me. Marissa had finally pulled Kleenex out of her purse and handed to him. I stutter out," You're not mad?"

"No, it was an accident." Casey told me. Why do I act so stupid around him? I asked myself, why?

"What are you guys doing here?" Casey asked.

"Marissa wanted to check out Hollister" I say.

"Oh," Casey says and then he comes over to me and… gives me a hug and whispers in my ear "It's no big deal, Sammy. I'm not Heather you know, I won't get mad over an accident" Then he gives me a kiss on the cheek and before I can say anything stupid he takes off.

"Sammy, earth to Sammy!" Marissa was yelling at me. I finally say," He wasn't mad at me."

"Well, duh he gave you a hug and kiss 'course he wasn't mad at you!"

"What?" I said my mind was full of Casey's Easter-egg eyes and my cheek was tingling like crazy. Casey _**ACOSTA **_just kissed my cheek.

"SAMMY! CASEY JUST KISSED YOU!" Marissa screamed.

The whole mall turned to look at us. I turned to look at Marissa, and who do you think was charging at me like a bull, of course the one and only….. Heather Acosta.

"What! He did not!" She grabs me by the shirt, "Missy's lying, right? Right?"

I replied, lamely," He wasn't mad at me!" Is it surprising that my mind was filled with Casey's Easter-egg eyes and his goofy smile? Heather had her fist raised like she was going to punch me, I ducked but the punch never came. Marissa, timid Marissa, had spun Heather around and was yelling at her.

"**Leave Sammy alone, Casey kissed her cheek to show that he wasn't mad at her!"** It was the fastest and loudest I'd heard Marissa talk. Marissa finally stopped and Heather, muttering under her breath, stormed off.

I'm still staring at Marissa like WOW!

"What, Sammy?"

"I just never saw you yell like that" I told her.

"Well, she made me mad!" Marissa said. Holly and Dot say, "Unlike Casey, **he** wasn't mad." They all started giggling. I just rolled my eyes.

"Stop it, you guys!" I said. So we continued to go to Hollister. Funny thing is I didn't find out till tomorrow who was watching us.

The next day, after sleeping in, eating Gram's oatmeal, and doing nothing, I boarded over to Hudson's. The whole time I was on the watch for Heather. I was also wondering if I should go talk to Casey or not. It was probably a good thing that it was summer for two more weeks; I could talk to him later.

I reached Hudson's porch

"Sammy, my friend, you look upset?"

"Not upset, puzzled." I told him and his alligator skin boots. He asked if I wanted something to eat and I said sure. Then who do I see, while Hudson's inside, walking up to the porch, the one and only …..Casey Acosta.

"Hey, Sammy! Nice job with Heather yesterday, I didn't think Marissa could yell that loud." He calls out to me, I was probably as red as a tomato when I said;" You saw all that?"

"Yeah and heard it too" he replied.

Hudson was back with brownies and milk. "Well, Hi, Casey." He says. This was only the third time Hudson had seen Casey.

"Hey, Hudson!" Casey is up sitting on the railing of Hudson's porch. Hudson offered each of us a brownie and we both took one.

"I don't know exactly why Heather got so freaked out yesterday. I guess she was just being Heather."

"Yeah probably." was Casey's reply.

"Did you hear everything yesterday?" I questioned him.

"Everything except what you said to Heather." he answered.

"Oh," I said stupidly

"I've got to go. See you Sammy" and he takes off down the sidewalk.

"See ya Casey!"

"Nice guy, I see why you like each other." Hudson says as soon as he's gone.

"HUDSON!" I scold,

"I've got to go before Grams starts to worry!"

"Okay, go ahead!" Hudson says. I wave goodbye and take off on my skate board towards the Senior Highrise.

I snuck up the fire escape.,

"Sammy! There you are I was starting to worry! Where were you?" Grams asked as I walked in the door.

"Hudson's" I replied.

"What do you want to eat?" Grams questioned. I thought wow, it's already 5: oo. I checked my watch. Yep, 5: oo exactly. I thought for a minute.

"I'm in the mood for something 'god-like'." I called to her.

"Mac-an-salsa it is then." Grams replied. I sat down on the couch, petting Dorito. I turned on the T.V. the only thing on was the 5: oo news (Grams never watched it anymore since Pretty Vegas was gone) so I left on the news, not really listening to it, just sitting there thinking. Casey saw (and heard) the whole thing yesterday. Man, I was screwed!

I heard the T.V. reporter say, "Ten of the most valuable items from the National History Museum were stolen last night. Police are investigating." This caught my eye and train of thought. I looked at the T.V, listening intently. The missing items appeared on the screen. "The police have not found any clues or leads and have a number of suspects at this moment. If you have any information call this number 1-800-INF-CRIME"

Since when does this happen in Santa Martina? Hello, I said to myself. Weird things always happen here, like dead cats in dumpsters or nuns stealing. But this still seemed odd. "Sammy, Come eat." Grams called from the kitchen. So I got up and went to the table to eat my god-like meal. I noticed that Grams had no food, "Grams, aren't you eating?"

"I'm going out." She said as she gathered her coat, put on her leather pumps and even some make-up.

"With who? I questioned.

"No one" she said really fast.

_Huds_on, I thought but I just said," Okay"

After she left and I had finished my god-like meal I decided I would go to the Pup Parlor and see what Holly was doing. She wasn't there. It was starting to get dark out. _Should I go back to the Senior Highrise? _I asked myself. _Nah, Grams could call me on my new cell if she was home._ I decided to call Marissa. _Ring Ring Ring _

"Hello Sammy?" came Marissa's answer.

"Hey, Marissa. Would you come to the Pup Parlor?"

"Sure, are you finally going to tell me about camp?"_ I better tell her _I thought "Yeah!" I told her. "I'll be there in twenty minutes." Marissa told me eagerly.

Twenty minutes seemed quite long standing outside the Pup Parlor watching strange dogs come in and out. _I'm surprised Brandon hadn't already told Marissa everything that happened at summer camp _I thought to myself_._ She knew some stuff but not everything. So as soon as she got there at 6:30, she goes, "What happened? What happened!" so I started at the beginning. But the only part she seemed to notice was how Casey and I had kissed and that he got kidnapped and we had saved each other. I practically screamed at her, "Marissa! Don't tell anyone! Heather would freak if she found out!" Marissa puts up her hands,

"Alright! I won't tell anyone!"

"Now," I say to her calming down a bit, "did you hear about the museum robbery?"

"Yeah, but Sammy the police will figure it out! Why do you always worry about this stuff?" Marissa asked me

"I don't know! It's like you said trouble finds me." I replied

"But this trouble doesn't have to be your problem!" Marissa said. Darren Cole started playing. I answered my phone,

"Hello?"

"Sammy! Where are you?" Grams voice was full of worry.

"Marissa and I are at the Pup Parlor." I told her. I hadn't told Grams exactly everything from camp either.

"Okay, are you coming home anytime soon it's already 7:30?" Grams asked me.

"Yeah, I should be home by 8:00." I told her, "Bye, Grams."

"Bye, Sammy." Grams said.

I hung up. Marissa and I decided we'd go inside the Pup Parlor and talk to Meg and Vera. We went inside, I asked Meg,

"Where's Holly?"

"Vera thinks she's at the Humane Society." Meg says.

"Doesn't the Humane Society close at seven?" I asked her.

"Vera thinks it's open later in the summer."

"Oh" I say to Meg. I turn to Marissa and ask her, "Should we go to the Humane Society to see if she's there?"

"Okay, let's go, it's almost 8:00." So we took off, me on my skateboard, Marissa on her bike, little did we know what we would find.


	2. Chapter 2

The Humane Society was closed. Marissa and I look at each other, like "What now?"

"Let's see if she's at the Pup Parlor." I said.

We take off once again, her on her bike, me on my skateboard. We decided to take the alley behind the museum. Of course, I wanted to look around a little. The museum was taped with police tape, you know, the kind that says" Crime scene don't cross!" _Marissa and I could easily sneak in there_. I thought. So, I glance at Marissa. She must have guessed what I was thinking because she says, "Sammy! We don't need to go in there."

"But what if…" I didn't get to finish my sentence, because a scream sounded from inside the museum. Marissa and I look at each other because we're pretty sure we know that voice.

Marissa wanted to make sure, so I called the Pup Parlor on my cell. Meg answered,

"Hello?"

"Hey Meg, this is Sammy. Is Holly there?" I asked.

"No!" she said sounding kind of worried. "

Okay, she might be at Dot's." I told her, even though I knew she wasn't. Marissa and I slowly climbed over the police tape.

Marissa and I crept slowly around the museum, we were in the dinosaur exhibit (at the front of the museum) when we heard the scream again. To me it sounded like it was coming from the wall. I put my ear towards the wall; the scream came again, this time, to me, it sounded louder. I knocked on the wall, it sounded hollow, just like I thought it would.

Then I said, "Holly! It's me Sammy!" Marissa was doing the McKenzie dance; she had also taken my cell phone out of my pocket and was calling the police. For once I actually didn't protest.

"Sammy!" Holly's muffled voice came through the wall.

"We'll get you out, Holly!" I screamed through the wall. Marissa was asking Officer Borsch to come to the museum, desperately trying to describe are situation. I looked for something to break through the wall with. I wasn't able to find anything, so I ran out of the museum and got my skateboard. As I ran, I heard Marissa scream; I hurried back inside and found that Marissa was gone.

And my phone was on the ground. I picked it up.

"HELLO! IS ANYONE THERE?" Officer Borsch was screaming on the other end of the line.

"Officer Borsch, it's me, Sammy, I need your help!" And then I started telling him at ninety miles an hour what had happened. As I talked I took off on my skateboard towards the Pup Parlor.

"Whoa, Sammy, slow down!" Officer Borsch said.

"I'll be at the Pup Parlor. Meet me there, okay." I went faster, hung up the phone, and got to the Pup Parlor in record time.

I looked at my watch; it was already 8:30. I called Grams. I told her I would be spending the night at Holly's. I didn't tell her about them being kidnapped. I told Meg and Vera what had happened. Vera told me, "Sit down, honey, I'll get you some water."

"Okay." I managed to say, I was panting from riding my skateboard so fast.

It was almost 9:00 when The Borsch man got there. I had finally stopped panting and had calmed down a little. But I still spoke frantically when telling Officer Borsch what happened.

"Wait a minute!" Officer Borsch says, holding up a hand, "You went _into _the museum?" He looked sort of worried. I said, "Yeah, we heard Holly scream," hoping it would calm him down. Apparently it worked because he says,

"So, two kidnappings Holly Janquel and Marissa McKenzie, both 13 years old, Holly were last heard sometime around 8:00 at the museum of National History. Marissa was last seen around 8:00-8:30 and on the phone with us." He was writing this all down in one of those police report notebook things. Beep! Beep! Officer Borsch's radio was beeping. He answered it. There were a lot of yeses and mm-hums. When he hung up, he said,

"Marissa is okay," he scratched something out of his notebook; "she heard footsteps and ran, all the way to the police station."

"But where's Holly?" Meg and Vera and I all scream.

"WE DON'T KNOW!" Officer Borsch yelled back.

"Why don't we go and see if she's still at the museum?" I suggested.

"Um, I guess that would be a pragmatic thing to do. Where exactly did you hear her?" Officer Borsch's replied.

We were back in the dinosaur room. We being me, Officer Borsch, Meg, Vera, and Marissa (I had insisted we pick her up).

"So are you positive this is the wall?" Officer Borsch asks for like the fiftieth time. Marissa and I shake our heads yes, once again. We just wanted to know if Holly was okay. Officer Borsch knocked on the wall.

"You're right," he says to me, "it sounds hollow." I'm tired of doing nothing so I say, "Stand back!" and ram the wall with my skate board, I ram it three more times before I break through the wall, and we moved a few more debris out of the way. We all gasped.

All ten of the missing items were here, in the museum, along with an unconscious, tied-up, and gagged Holly. Officer Borsch radioed in for some other cop, while we tried to get Holly to come to.

After twenty minutes we were back at the Pup Parlor, Holly was conscious, and the stolen stuff was at the police station. Holly then told us what happened,

"I was walking to the Humane Society. It was 4:30; they close at 7:00. I started to go down the alley of the museum, it's shorter that way. So I was walking, then I heard a puppy bark and whine like it was stuck. I stopped and listened, it was coming from the museum. So I climbed over the police tape and went to find the poor thing. I finally found him his paw was stuck in something. As I went to free him, a guy with a ski mask on walked into the room. I got the dog unstuck and ran, right into the guy. I dropped the dog and it ran. The ski mask guy grabbed me by the arm and dragged me to a door. It led to where you found me. I started screaming and then you guys came," she said pointing to me and Marissa, "I answered you and so he gagged me and then I blacked out. I had already been tied-up. He must have escaped when Sammy was gone and Marissa was running. If you guys hadn't of come, who knows what would have happened!"

"We've got officers watching the museum if he comes back." Officer Borsch said. _Yeah right like he's going to come back _I thought. Holly described the guy as best as she could to Officer Borsch. It was 10:30. Marissa called her 'nanny' and told her she would spend the night at Holly's. My mind was racing that night. _Why would he steal stuff and then just leave it there? Who did it? Who would know about the door to the wall? The museum curator, a security guard, a janitor or just someone who noticed the door, _these were my top suspects. After talking to Marissa and Holly, (Marissa made me tell Holly about camp, of all things.) thinking about who had stolen the stuff and kidnapped Holly and (thanks to Marissa) I was now thinking about Casey Acosta, yep, Casey Acosta. I had probably only said ten words to him this afternoon at Hudson's. Soon I finally drifted off to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Do you want to know what I dreamed about? Easter Eggs, chocolate Easter Eggs that morphed into Casey's eyes. Also, I woke up in huge pool of drool. I mean huge! Yeah, my dream kind of freaked me out a little, no, not a little, a lot!

Anyway, Marissa and Holly were still asleep. I checked my watch; it was almost 10:00. I pulled on my high-tops, grabbed my skateboard and headed towards Hudson's.

I started to walk up to his porch but stopped dead in my tracks and turned around. But it was too late. He'd seen me

"Hey Sammy! I was just looking for you." Mr. Easter Egg eyes called to me. I slowly turned around,

"You were?" I asked stupidly. Why do I still act this way around him? Why?

"So Sammy, what do you think?" Casey's question brought me back,

"Huh?" I asked.

"Do you want to go to the movies with me today?" Now this was probably the third time I'd seen Casey Acosta blush, but this was the very first time I'd seen _him _talk to his feet.

"Sure, what time?"

"1:30." Casey said, finally talking to me instead of his feet and grinning that goofy grin of his.

"Okay, I'll meet you there!" I say and zoom off.

Marissa and Holly were awake when I got back to the Pup Parlor.

"Where'd you go?" They both asked me.

"To Hudson's." I told them not mentioning my encounter with Casey. I glanced at my watch, it was 12:00. I had an hour and a half before I had to meet Casey. Marissa suggested we go to the arcade so that's where we went.

Once we got there, Marissa headed straight to her favorite game. I just kind of stood there, glancing at my watch.

"Sammy, why do you keep looking at your watch?" Holly says, after a while.

"I have to go somewhere at 1:30." I told her blankly.

"Where?" Marissa had heard our conversation and was walking over.

"The movies." I told them both.

"With whom?" they both asked. I look down at my feet and say quietly, "Casey."

"Who?" They both asked again,

"Casey." I was still looking at my feet but I said it a bit louder

"WHO?" They were practically screaming at me.

"CASEY ACOSTA! Okay I'm going to the movies with Casey Acosta!" I look at them and scream back. The whole place turned and looked at us. Halleluiah, that Heather wasn't there! As I said that I stormed out of the arcade, it was 1:25 so I headed to the movie theater. Now I didn't_ really_ want to go but I also didn't want to disappoint Casey.


	4. Chapter 4

I walked into the movie theater. There's Casey grinning like, like …Casey.

"Let's go I've already bought our tickets." He tells me. So we get a pop and popcorn (yes we shared, Marissa will go crazy when I tell her) and we go and sit down.

It turns out that the movie was a mystery but also kind of a comedy. It wasn't one of those stupid and easy to solve mysteries, it was more like, like the kind of mystery I'd solve. Man, Casey sure can choose a good movie!

So Casey and I were walking out, talking about condors, and the other mysteries I'd solved, when I see someone that looks like Holly's description of her kidnapper, except this time he's not wearing a ski mask. Holly had described her kidnapper has tall, a deep voice and muscular. Now you might be thinking, a bunch of people look like that, but from the way he was acting, he looked guilty of something. I '_accidentally_' bumped into him. He jumped probably three feet in the air, and dropped all his stuff. Super-fast he grabs all his stuff and bolts out of the movie theater. I really wanted to follow him but I didn't want to leave Casey.

"Well, that was strange," Casey said, "Maybe we should follow him." He grinned his goofy grin, grabbed my hand and we took off after the guy.

I guess Casey wasn't thinking about how much trouble I had gotten into after following someone. We kept following him. A half an hour later we were in the west side of town. Why? I don't know, we just kept following the guy. The guy finally stopped in front of an old run-down building. Casey and I ducked behind a garbage can.

I stole a glance at Casey, he's looking at me, and we stare at each other for like a minute. Man, we're close! I can feel his breath and we're almost touching. He moved closer to me, closer, closer. Then our lips are together.

Suddenly someone grabbed my arm and pulled me from behind the garbage can. I looked around, where'd Casey go? Then I look at who grabbed me. It's Holly's kidnapper all right, same description, same everything. I looked around again, at the same time I try to escape from the guy. I couldn't get away, the guy was too strong. I didn't see Casey; did he just leave me here? Then I saw him, he was coming up behind the guy, I pretended not to notice and kept struggling against the guy.

Whack! Casey had smacked him on the head with a pop bottle. It wasn't strong enough to knock him down but he did let go of me. Casey grabbed my hand and we ran. Surprisingly the guy didn't chase us. Soon we stopped.

"Man that _is_ Holly's kidnapper." I said.

"What?" Casey asked. I had forgotten that Casey didn't know about last night, I quickly informed him.

"Geez, Sammy, you can never stay out of trouble. Can you?" Casey teased me.

"I can to!" I told him, turning slightly red for some strange reason. We had started walking again. I glanced at my watch. Holy crap! It was already 4:30. We were finally out of the west side. Casey was walking next to me, he put his hands in his pockets, looked down at his feet and said," Would you like to do this again sometime?" Wait a second! Did he just ask me to go to the movies again?

"Uh, Sammy, did you hear me?" Casey asked me.

"Yeah, sure" I stutter out.

"When?" he was finally looking at me again.

"I don't know, how about tomorrow?" I suggested.

"Okay, 1:30 then?" Casey asked.  
"Sure." I said. He started grinning again, like he had just won the lottery or something. He looked so funny I just had to laugh. He looked away and I was afraid I'd hurt his feelings,

"Sorry, Casey, I didn't mean to laugh" I must've looked really silly too because Casey starts laughing. Soon we're both laughing for no reason.

We went back to the movie theater still sort of laughing. Casey kisses my hand goodbye (that's starting to be his trademark isn't it?),

"Bye, see you tomorrow, Casey" I called after him. I headed for the arcade. As soon as I get there I look for Marissa, I can't find her. I turn around and there she is smiling like crazy. You see, Marissa's not good at hiding things, so I could tell she had seen Casey kiss my hand. She walks beside me and whispers in my ear, "I think Casey really likes you, I mean he's kissed you twice on the lips." She walks away, holding up two fingers. Man, Marissa followed us, what a stalker!

All of a sudden I was mad, really mad, that someone had interfered with Casey's and my time and that, that person was my best friend. I think it's the first time I've ever really been mad at Marissa. Anyways, I just walked out the arcade, Holly, who _hadn't _followed me and Casey, ran after me," Sammy, what's wrong?"

"Marissa followed me and Casey!" I practically screamed at her.

"Oh. So you're mad at her?" Holly said.

"Yes!" I yelled and stormed out of the arcade, leaving Holly just standing there with her mouth open.

I walked outside the mall, thinking. I couldn't talk to anyone, not even Hudson, if I told him part of the story he would want the whole story. I was mad at Marissa so I couldn't talk to her, more like I didn't want to talk to her. I could talk to Holly, no; she might tease me like Marissa. So that left three people: Dot, Grams, or Casey. I didn't want to explain everything to Grams, and I really didn't feel like talking to Dot, so that left Casey or no one. I decided not to because I'd see him tomorrow. I started walking to the Senior Highrise.


	5. Chapter 5

"Grams?" I called as I got into the apartment.

"Sammy?" Grams and Marissa's voices answer me. What the heck is she doing here and how'd she get here so fast? She probably told Grams everything! I think to myself.

"Hi Grams" I say and completely ignore Marissa as I sit down on the other side of the couch. Dorito must have sensed that I was upset because he came up on to my lap and kept licking my hand until I laughed.

"Sammy? What's wrong?" Marissa finally asked

"You **had **to follow us?" I asked her. I said it quiet enough that Grams wouldn't hear.

"Well, yeah, I mean I realized that you wouldn't tell me what happened for a long time so I followed you two. Oh, I have a question, who was that guy you followed?" Marissa was talking quite loud.

"Shh!" I told her, pointing towards the kitchen where Grams was, Marissa nods her head so I continue by answering her question,

"I'm pretty sure it was Holly's kidnapper. Didn't you hear us talking about it?"

"No, I was too far away."

"Marissa, would have told you."

"Not until like, forever after it happened."

"Oh, come on I probably would've told you tomorrow."

"No you wouldn't have."

"Yes I would have."

"No you wouldn't"

"Yes I would have!" I practically screamed at her. Marissa was quiet. I slowly realized that she was right, I probably wouldn't have told her, ever.

"Okay, Marissa, I see what you mean. I probably wouldn't have told you for a long time but that's only because whenever I mention Casey you always freak out and say, 'you like him' or ' he likes you' and it's so annoying! Sometimes I wish you'd just shut up. Do you see what I mean?" I yelled. I hadn't noticed that my voice had risen, likely loud enough for Grams to hear. Marissa was quiet, she sat there, blinking a few times.

"I do kind of freak out, don't I?" She finally says.

I nod really quickly.

"So now, if you promise to not freak out when I talk about him**, **and promise _not_ to follow us again. Then I promise to tell you everything that happens, deal?" I asked her.

Marissa just stares ahead. I follow her gaze and see Grams standing there with her arms crossed.

"Four questions, Samantha Jo, where were you with Casey that Marissa followed you? Why in the world did you not tell me where you were? What in the heck were you doing with Casey Acosta? And what was that I heard about a kidnapper?" Grams was mad, really mad, I could tell.

"It's a long story…" I mutter.

"Start from the beginning and, tell the truth Samantha." Grams was glaring at me.

"The beginning…?" I say because, honestly, I didn't know what the beginning was.

"Yes, Samantha, the beginning." Grams was getting annoyed. I figured that camp was the beginning so I launched right in but when I came to the part about purpling I stopped. I mean you try telling your grandma that you and you're archenemy's brother, um, kissed.

"Spit it out, Samantha!" Grams was really ticked. So I did, I rushed through it up all the way up to sitting on the couch with Marissa. Now Grams just stood there but when it came to behind the garbage can she stopped me and made me tell her about Holly's kidnapping again then back to the garbage can. When I'm finally done I need a drink and also don't want to see Grams' reaction so I excuse myself to the kitchen and get a drink.

"Wow! How in the world did you do that?" Marissa had followed me into the kitchen, "I wouldn't have ever been able to tell that to my parents let alone my grandma!"

"Hey, I still don't know what you think of our deal." I say ignoring her question.

"Yeah, it's a deal, but only if you tell me _everything_!" Marissa answered me.

"And you don't freak out." I added.

"Yeah that too." She mumbled.

"Anyway about telling Grams, I still don't know how she'll react." I said answering her first question, but as soon as I said that Grams calls, "Sammy!"

"See, what'd I tell you?" I say to Marissa as we walk into the living room part of the apartment. _What is Grams yelling about, is it Casey?_ I thought to myself.

"Sammy, watch the T.V." It turns out that Grams wasn't mad anymore, aas long as I remember to tell her the truth from now on, she called for me because she wanted me to see the breaking news report that was just coming on. There had been another robbery, this time at the art museum in Sisquane. Once again, the ten most valuable items had been stolen.

"No one knows how the robber got in," some police officer was on screen, " when we got there all the doors were locked and no windows were broken, so unless the robber had a key there's no way he could have gotten in." The news anchor came back on.

"If you have any information on this please call 1-800-INF-CRIME." The news reporter walked off screen, letting us see the pictures of the ten missing items. I started thinking of ways the robber could have gotten in. There was none, unless he had a key or, or there was another door in the wall and that door led to an underground tunnel and the tunnel led… okay, now that idea is just plain crazy, so I didn't say anything.

"Why don't you call the number and tell them about Holly's kidnapper?" Marissa says,

"No, they would just say there's not enough proof or something." I told her, I looked at the clock, it was 7:00.

"Grams, it's already 7:00." I said. So Grams told Marissa to go home and for the second night that week, since it was easy to make, we had Mac & Salsa, and this time Grams ate some too.


	6. Chapter 6

I woke up to the smell of Grams' oatmeal. I stumbled off of the couch.

"Good morning, Sammy." Grams said. Apparently she still wasn't reacting to yesterday. "Grams, What time is it?" I said as I ate the oatmeal she had set before me.

"10:00" She said,

"Where's your watch?" I walked back to the couch and started looking for it.

"It's not here." I stated blankly.

"Okay, it might turn up later." Grams told me. That's when I remembered that Casey and I were supposed to go to the movies again today. But not until 1:30. I slipped on my high-tops, put my hair in a ponytail, and decided to go to Marissa's. I snuck down the fire escape and skateboarded all the way to her house.

"Hi, Sammy," Marissa said has she opened the door. "So what's up?"

"Nothing."

"Oh, Come on, Sammy, when you say nothing there's always _something_."

"Well, if you must know, Casey and I are going to a movie again today. You won't follow us this time, will you?" She ignored my question and shrieked.

"What time? What time?"

"1:30"

"Okay. You've got to get ready!"

"I am ready! And Marissa, this is what I'd call freaking out."

"Oh, yeah, sorry, but you're seriously going like _that_?"

"Yeah, so, what's wrong with this?"

"Everything!" Marissa said with a roll of her eyes.

"Well, it's not like a..a.. date or anything so I'm going to just wear this."

"Yeah, fine…I guess." Marissa said with another eye roll. We hadn't even walked into her house. We finally do.

"So what do you want to do?" I asked her.

"Well what time is it?" She asked. I took out my phone and checked the time

"12:00"

"Then why don't we just go to the arcade?" She replied.

"I guess." And we headed to the arcade.

Now as if getting questioned by Marissa isn't bad enough, she invited Holly and Dot and, of course, told them about the movie thing too. So on our way to the arcade I was asked ten thousand questions, Dot and Marissa's about my outfit, Holly's about what movie. I was relieved when we made it to the arcade and broke off to play games, all except me, that is. I stood in the middle of the arcade. I checked my phone. 12:30. One hour before I had to meet Casey.

**Casey**

I woke up and looked at my clock. Holy crap! How did I sleep this late! The clock said 12: 00 I had to meet Sammy in an hour and a half. I quickly took a shower, and got dressed. My dad must have noticed I was hurrying.

"What's the rush, Casey?" He asked.

"Uh, nothing'" Now, my dad knows I like Sammy but after seeing him and Sammy's mom on a date, I kind of didn't want to tell him where I was going

"Uh, okay, Casey." My dad said. I glanced at my cell to check the time. 1:20. Crap! I was going to be late! I grabbed my skateboard, ran out the door and took off for the movie theater.

**Sammy**

Where was he? I was looking all over the move theater and couldn't find Mr. Casey Acosta anywhere. That's when I saw him, not Casey, but the guy we followed yesterday. Crap! He was going to recognize me. The same time the guy turned around, I felt a tap on my shoulder, in instinct my elbow flew back, but it was probably a good thing I missed since standing behind me was an out-of-breath Casey.

"Sorry I'm late." He panted. But before I could reply, the guy from yesterday looked at Casey and I. I watched his face turn angry.. He recognized us. He started walking over to us, so Casey and I walked away from him to the ticket booth to get our tickets. When we walked into the movie theater I looked behind me and noticed the guy behind us. What was he going to do, follow us?

**Casey**

I got to the movie theater late. I came up behind Sammy and I probably shouldn't have, since she almost elbowed me in the stomach. When I followed her gaze, I realized that she was looking at the guy we followed yesterday. As we got our tickets and walked into the movie theater, I saw Sammy look behind her and when I saw her face, she looked confused, and I couldn't quite figure out why.

**Sammy**

The movie was okay I mean I couldn't really concentrate because I was thinking about Big 'nd Tall in the row behind us. When Casey and I left, I looked back and sure enough, he was there.

"He's following us." I told Casey, just barely loud enough for him to hear.

"I thought so." He replied in the same hushed tone.

"What'd we do?" I asked, even though I was already planning to lead the guy on a wild goose chase and lose him.

"Lead him on a wild goose chase." Casey said, smiling.

"You read my mind." I told him. We took our skateboards and skate boarded all the way into the west side, we took a bunch of alleys and back roads to the east side. Now we were almost to the east side when I led us into a dead end. Casey and I looked back for the first time, Our Stalker wasn't there. I relaxed a little. We waited for a few minutes before we walked out of the alley.

**Casey**

As we walked out of the alley, I heard Sammy scream, and then I saw him. The guy had Sammy, a switchblade pulled close to her neck.

"Don't move or your girlfriend won't see tomorrow." The guy threated. I glanced at Sammy, she didn't look scared at all, but what did I expect, she _was_ Sammy Keyes. The guy started walking away, pulling Sammy with him.

"And don't even think about calling the police." He continued. He stopped and put the switch blade back up to Sammy's neck. I nodded to his threats, hoping he'd leave Sammy alone.

"And don't you even think about following us or else." He was starting to scare me, I didn't say anything so he repeated what he had said along with, "I mean it."

And I guess to prove it he used his switchblade to give Sammy a new cut right below her chin, from Sammy's face I could tell that it was deep enough to hurt. Then a black SUV with no license plates pulled up and the guy took Sammy and got into the car. The SUV drove off.

I stood there, on the sidewalk, staring at the spot where the SUV had been. I kicked a rock with my foot. What was I supposed to do now? I had just let Sammy get kidnapped. I walked over and picked up Sammy's skate board. I hadn't even been able to give her her watch back. I decided to go to the place Sammy always went when she wasn't sure what to do. Hudson's porch.


	7. Chapter 7

**Sammy**

I hated being blindfolded. I couldn't see it, but I could feel blood coming from the cut on my neck. I knew I had to stop the bleeding, but before I could figure out anything, a door slammed and I heard footsteps.

"First, you foil my museum operation and now this, girl, you better hope you boyfriend knows not to do anything stupid, or I highly doubt you'll make it until tomorrow." The voice wasn't the guy who had cut my neck, it was some other guy, and from the deep voice, a big, strong man. I didn't think much about his threat, I mean; Casey would figure it out wouldn't he? Wait, did I just agree with him that Casey is my boyfriend?

**Casey**

I made it to Hudson's a half hour later. Hudson sat on the porch, but he wasn't alone. Sitting next to him was Sammy's grandma. I decided this was the perfect time to tell them Sammy had been kidnapped. I dropped our skateboards and ran up to the porch.

"Sammy and I were at the movies and this guy followed us and kidnapped Sammy." I didn't realize how stupid that sounded until I said it.

"Whoa, Casey, Say that again." Hudson asked.

"Sammy's been kidnapped!" I said, making things short.

"What?" Sammy's grandma's mouth flew open.

"Tell us the whole story, Casey." Hudson said calmly.

"Sammy and I went to the movies and this guy, who Sammy thinks is Holly's kidnapper starts following us. We tried to lose him but it didn't work and he took Sammy in a black SUV." I decided to leave out that we had followed the guy yesterday.

"I'm calling the police." Sammy's grandma said.

"Now, Rita, calm down a little. Sammy has been in worse situations. What-" Hudson was interrupted by Sammy's grandma.

"But my granddaughter has been kidnapped!" She said.

"Casey, what do you suggest we do?" Hudson asked me. I had no idea what to do.

"If we call the police he might hurt Sammy." I said, the thought had haunted me since I'd picked up Sammy's skateboard. What if Sammy couldn't make it this time?

**Sammy **

The man had untied my hands and blindfold for some reason. I didn't want to move though, I wasn't sure exactly where I was since the room was dark. There was a water bottle not too far away from me, I wasn't sure if it was full or not. I stood up, but fell down, I was really dizzy. I put my hand up to my neck, it had stopped bleeding but not before staining my shirt. I slid over to the bottle of water, maybe if it was full, it would get rid of my dizziness. But then again, I didn't know how long I'd be here, so I might want to save it.

**Casey**

"What are we supposed to do if we don't call the police?" Sammy's grandma was freaking out more than I was.

"Well, Casey, did you see what the man looked like? Or maybe catch the SUV's license Plate?" Hudson asked.

"I bet I could describe the man if I had to, but the SUV had no plates." I explained.

"Hmm… I bet we could call that officer Sammy knows without getting the other cops involved." Hudson suggested.

You mean call him like he's a friend." I said.

"Exactly." He replied. I took out my cell phone prepared to dial the number.

"Wait!" Sammy's grandma suddenly shouted.

"Sammy may still have her cell phone with her. Try calling it." She explained. I hadn't thought of that but knew it was worth a try. I quickly dialed the number I already knew by heart.

**Sammy**

I felt something buzz near my right leg. I carefully picked it up. It was my phone! I could maybe get help! It was vibrating with a call. I looked and saw Casey's name and number. I answered it.

"Sammy?"

"Casey?"

"Where are you?" He sounded really worried.

"I'm not sure."

"You have no idea?" He asked.

"Not really, though I think I might be underground somewhere." I explained, I had felt almost too much dirt to not be underground.

"You know, I don't think that museum wall was just hollow, Casey, I think there's a tunnel or something there." I continued giving him my whole theory.

"So you want us to check the museum?"

"Yeah, I guess." I head a door slam and footsteps. Crap! The guy had caught me.

"You think a phone will save you?" He grabbed my phone. "Cause it won't anymore." He walked out of the room. I wasn't sure what to do now, he had taken my last chance for help. Unless Casey found something in the museum.

**Casey**

Sammy had just finished talking about her museum theory, when I heard someone say "You think a phone can save you?" The voice wasn't the one of the man that had been at the movie theater. I didn't hear anything for a while.

"You know your girlfriend's running out of time." A cruel voice told me.

"What do you want?" I spat into the phone. Hudson and Sammy's grandma looked at me.

"Oh, there are a lot of things I want, but I'm sure you don't want a dead girlfriend." He laughed. "You could try and find her but then you never will." This guy was pissing me off so much. I heard a girl's scream and then the line went dead.


	8. Chapter 8

**Sammy**

The guy had come back in with my phone in his hand. I could barely make out Casey's voice on the other end. When the guy told Casey his threats, a shiver ran up my spine, I had been around enough criminals to know which ones had the nerve to kill and which ones didn't. I was pretty sure this guy had it. He finished talking and yanked so hard on my hair that I screamed. He hung up my phone and I watched him put it in the pocket of his jacket.

"You know, your boyfriend would really hate to see you hurt." He walked around me in a circle. I wasn't sure what he was going to do to me.

"What do you want?" I finally asked him.

"Funny, your boyfriend asked me the same thing." He said and came in front of me.

"Sammy Keys. Known for solving mysteries and crimes. Well, let me tell you, Sammy Keyes, you won't make it to tell the police what you found this time." He sneered at me. I wanted to punch the guy but that would've been a stupid thing to try since he was at least four times bigger than me. He stepped back away from me. Before I knew what was happening someone tied my hands back together and put the blindfold back over my eyes. I was shoved forward and forward. As we kept going, I lost all hope of Casey finding me, because no matter where we had been, we weren't there anymore.

We were moving.

**Casey**

"What did she say? Where is she?" Sammy's grandma and Hudson asked me when I put my phone down.

"We have to go to the museum." It was the only thing I could think of doing, if Sammy's theory was right, I could find her before that guy did anything to her. And I was sure the guy wasn't joking. I placed my skateboard on the ground and started in the direction of the museum

"Casey, wait!" Sammy's grandma yelled for me.

"I'll meet you guys at the museum." I didn't care about being polite or waiting for them, it was time to give Sammy her watch back.

**Sammy**

We kept moving forward. There were two men counting the one who'd taken me phone. One in front of me and the other behind me. I kept falling down, I was still dizzy. Every time I fell, the guy behind me yanked me up by my hair. After who knows how long we finally stopped walking. I heard something open. The guys shoved me forward and I heard something close. I sat on the ground. It was dirt, all dirt, the floors and the walls. I tried to get up but it wasn't possible with my hands tied. I tried to slide over so I could get a feel of where I was. All I felt was more dirt. The only thing that wasn't dirt was the door, the one I'd come in and they'd probably locked, though with my hands tied I couldn't try it. I stayed still and listened. The two men were talking right outside the door. I put my ear up against it and listened closer.

"If we set it, it will destroy half of this tunnel." One of them said.

"And the city's best crime solver who's about to ruin this operation."

"But we need the tunnel!" I knew then that Casey would find something in the museum

. "I know but I can't have this girl running around anymore, we've worked too hard for it to be discovered."

"Fine! Let's just get it over with then."

"I'll set it for a half hour so we can get out of here first." They stopped talking.

"Well, Sammy Keyes." The man who had taken my phone started talking again. "It's your last half hour, wait until your boyfriend finds you. Oh, wait, he won't, no one ever will, not when you're buried under four feet or more of dirt." He laughed. I suddenly knew what they had been talking about. A bomb or some kind of dynamite. They were going to destroy the tunnel we were in, with me in it. I sure didn't want to die. I had thirty minutes to figure out a way to escape death, or hope to God Casey could find me in time.

**Casey**

I made it to the museum, it was still covered in police tape. I checked my cell phone for the time. It was almost7:30, no one should be in the museum. I wasn't sure if it was safe to do this alone, but I didn't think anyone else would be much help.

I crossed over the police tape and snuck around the back of the building. I tried the door and was shocked to find it unlocked and no alarms went off or at least none I could hear, oh well, if there were silent alarms someone could help me find Sammy. I had no idea where Sammy wanted me to look, but it didn't take me long to find it.

There was a huge gap in a wall surrounded by more police tape. I climbed into the hole, it was wide enough for me to stand in , with my arms all the way out. I ran into what seemed to be a wall. I was pretty sure they wouldn't put a wall inside a wall so I kicked it. And sure enough, the wall came crashing down with a hollow, dark hallway on the other side. I kept walking. It felt like the hallway/tunnel thing was going down. I looked at the walls and saw that Sammy was right because the walls and the floor were now dirt. I walked faster hoping the tunnel would lead me to Sammy.

**Sammy**

I had no idea how much time had passed since I'd heard the guys leave, which meant the bomb could go off at any minute. I could only hope it wouldn't. I wasn't sure if I should stay by the door and instantly get killed, or move as far back as possible and hope someone could find me before I suffocated under all that dirt. I decided to move back as far as possible. I placed my back against the wall that I thought was farthest from the door and waiting for the explosion hoping maybe just maybe someone would save me.

**Casey**

I kept walking. There were doors, wooden ones, but everyone I tried was empty. I walked and walked and walked and you guessed it, walked. But there was no sign of Sammy.

**Sammy**

I sat waiting for either the bomb to go off or Casey to come. I had pretty much given up hope of Casey coming. I was going to die. For once I wasn't going to get out of the trouble I had gotten myself into. Dang it! I should have listened to Marissa and stayed out this!


	9. Chapter 9

**Casey**

I was losing hope that I'd find Sammy, the tunnel seemed to go on forever. I had to find her, if I didn't – I couldn't think about that. I started walking faster. I heard a big boom and felt the tunnel shake. I started running down the tunnel hoping, begging God that Sammy was nowhere near that boom. But I was pretty sure I wouldn't have that kind of luck.

**Sammy**

I heard the boom before I felt it. It pushed me back against the wall more and then I pretty much flew forward. My blindfold came off. I hit the floor really hard. Dirt was piling up all around me. I tried to stand; if I could maybe I'd be taller than the dirt, but it didn't work. I stood but then my legs gave way and I fell, my head hit against the floor. I tried sitting up, but a rush of dirt pushed me backwards. The only thing not covered in dirt was my face, and dirt was still coming down. And that's when I knew, I wasn't getting out of here.

**Casey**

After I heard the boom, I had the overwhelming sense that Sammy was wherever that boom was. I started running in the direction of the boom, as I ran, I decided to do something smart for once and call the police. I pulled out my cell phone, still running, and dialed Officer Borsch's number- I didn't even know why or how I had gotten it, probably since Sammy is always in trouble and Officer Borsch is usually the one to help- but anyway, I dialed the number as I ran. Once again, I tried every door I saw, just in case Sammy was there.

"Hello?" Officer Borsch's voice came on the line.

"Hello, Officer Borsch, this is Casey Acosta, um, I'm in the museum and, I need your help, I found this tunnel thing and I heard what I think is a bomb and I'm afraid Sammy was near it or something." I rambled as I ran.

"Wait, Casey, did you say you're at the museum?" Officer Borsch asked.

"Yeah, but Sammy's in trouble, you've got to come quick!" I had no clue why me being at the museum mattered, wasn't Sammy more important than me breaking and entering?

"Casey, I'm already at the museum, someone set off the silent alarm." Officer Borsch explained.

"Oh. But seriously, go to the hole in the wall, there's a tunnel there, trust me, and if you don't hurry, I'm afraid…" I couldn't finish what I was going to say.

"Casey, I'm coming, but what do you mean you're afraid?" He asked.

"I'm-I' m afraid…Sammy…won't-" I still couldn't finish.

"Alright, Casey, I'm hurrying, do you know where she is?" He asked.

"Just go straight in the tunnel until you find me, I'll have found her by then." At least I hoped I would have.

**Grams**

Hudson and I were still on the porch. We didn't know what to do or at least I didn't. Hudson seemed to have it all together, or at least he didn't seem worried about Sammy.

I had been close to following Casey to the museum but Hudson had stopped me and told me to wait. I hated just sitting here, while my granddaughter was in the hands of some mad-man.

**Casey**

After hanging up from Officer Borsch, I kept running. And I finally saw it. A gasp flew out of my mouth. A huge mound of dirt, quite a ways above my waist, covered the left half of the tunnel. It seemed to be coming out of a room or flowing into it, I couldn't tell. But the one thing I was pretty sure of, was, that somewhere, under all that dirt, was the girl whose watch I had in pocket.


	10. Chapter 10

**Casey**

I got on my knees and started digging. It was the only thing I could do. Dig through the mounds of dirt until I found her. Faster and faster I dug, wishing, hoping and praying that she'd be okay.

A gasp came from behind me. I turned around, prepared to fight if it was one of the bad guys; instead I saw a speechless, bug-eyed Officer Borsch and two other officers.

"Casey," He started putting a hand on my shoulder, "If she's under there…"

I gritted my teeth, he wasn't going to say it, he wouldn't dare! I kept digging, furiously. My arms were covered in dirt. I ignored every word Officer Borsch and the two others said. After a moment, they joined me in digging. I don't know how long it was before Officer Borsch gave up.

"Casey! Listen to me! Sammy-Sammy… well, not even she could…-

"Don't say it!" I was angry, but how much my voice sounded like it surprised me. He was wrong. Sammy could get through this. Couldn't she?

**Grams**

I started freaking out after a few minutes. My granddaughter was in the hands of some madman! Hudson didn't seem to even be worried. Why did Sammy always seem to get in trouble?

"Rita, she's fine, trust me." He was trying to calm me down, but it sure wasn't working.

"What if this time, she's not?"

For the first time since I'd met him, Hudson Gram appeared not to know what to say. Suddenly, the phone inside the house went off.

"I'll get that," He said and hurried inside. If Hudson didn't know what to do or say, then who did?

**Casey**

I punched him; I turned around without knowing what I was doing. But he said those words… the one's I told him not to! I'll probably get in huge trouble. But I really don't care anymore! He isn't even trying to help!

"Sammy's…"- I'm not going to think about what he said.

I kept digging and digging, I don't care how dirty I got! I just kept digging. Then, a pair of light-green high-tops, a horseshoe still on one, appeared in the dirt.


	11. Chapter 11

**Casey**

I found her. She wasn't breathing. The paramedic said she probably wouldn't make it. If CPR hadn't been done right away, Sammy would be gone. When the paramedics came, they said she didn't have much of a chance. With that, I couldn't bear it any longer, I cried. Most guys hate to admit that. But I was crying for a reason.

Sammy could be gone forever.

**Sammy**

My eyelids felt heavy when I opened them. Where was I? I squinted trying to make out the people in front of me, I saw what I thought to be Officer Borsch and, wait , were those paramedics?

"Thank God!" I barely could tell you what I was seeing, but I sure as heck knew that voice. I tried to look in the direction it'd come, but I didn't seem to have the strength to turn my head.

Then he was right in front of me. His jeans, shirt and arms were all dirty. His brown eyes looked different, somehow. I had to look at him for a while before it struck me that he'd been crying.

But why? I racked my brain. It was moments before it came back to me. The guy, the alley, his knife, the tunnels…the bomb. It hit me. Casey had been crying because… he'd thought I was dead. That was the last thing I thought before everything went black again.

**Casey**

I can't believe I let this all happen. Gosh, I hate myself right now. I just had to suggest we follow that guy. I let her get kidnapped. I let her get trapped. I almost let her… die.

**Sammy**

My mind feels swimmy, like this all isn't real. From the white walls, I can tell I'm in the hospital now. Grams is here, she's sitting in the chair next to me. No one else is here. I don't remember anyone else coming. Not even Casey. I can't actually talk right now. I have stitches on my neck, who knows how much medicine I'm on, and one of those machine things, they use when someone has breathing problems, it's a little mask thing to help clear my lungs or something like that. I can't even remember what it's called. My throat is so dry though, I probably swallowed a bunch of dirt or something. I honestly don't think I'll be getting out of here anytime soon. So much for solving the rest of this stupid mystery.

Grams just told me that if a certain person hadn't tried so hard and refused to give up, I wouldn't be here. That person's Casey. He saved my life.


	12. Alert!

**A/N: Now, I know it's been almost a year and more since I updated this story. I'm hoping beyond that there are still those out there that would like to read this. The next chapter will be up before the new year, promise! Hope you all might still read this, thank you!**


	13. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I am not Wendlin Van Draanen and I do not own Sammy Keyes.**

**A/N: I know this isn't my best writing, but I promised it be up before 2012, so here it is. I'm going to rewrite this soon anyway.**

_**Two Days Later…**_

**Casey**

Officer Borsch said I had a reason to give him that black eye. I really surprised myself by doing that. At least I won't get in trouble for it. I guess it just goes to show how much Sammy means to me. Almost more than anything else I can think of. I don't even know why. She just does. Is that normal?

Who am I kidding? Nothing that has to do with Samantha Jo Keyes is normal.

**Sammy**

Casey came to see me today. He gave me my watch and then left. Something's wrong, and I have no idea what. It probably has something to do with me being in the hospital. They think I still need to be here for some reason. All I want is for things to be normal again.

I don't want to be stuck in this stupid hospital bed. I don't want to have to wonder why Casey is acting so strange. I don't want to have to wonder if those guys in the museum operation are ever going to be caught. I don't want to deal with any of this.

Marissa came today too. She flipped out on me for getting into so much trouble. Like it was my fault I got kidnapped. I mean really, I don't try to do these they just happen. Casey and I weren't planning on following the guy, we just did. And look where it got us.

Oh. I get it now. I get why Casey's acting so strange, and why he hasn't even said more than two words to me since I got to the hospital. He thinks this mess is all his fault.

**Casey**

I know I should talk to her. I know that, but I can't. Things are too weird. How am I supposed explain everything? Am I supposed to say, "Oh, I'm sorry I suggested we follow that guy and that you got kidnapped and almost killed?"

So for now, I can't talk to her. Not until I figure out how to say things. I don't want to make things worse than they already are.

**Sammy**

I can't take this, being cooped up here in this stupid hospital bed for another two days. It sucks. I want to know what happened, I want to know if things are going to go back to normal or what. What if those guys aren't caught? What if they find out I didn't die?

I've never realized how much it sucks to be Sammy Keyes, Santa Marina's unofficial crime solver sometimes.


	14. Chapter 13

**Sammy**

It's been a week since the museum "incident". Grams won't let me leave the apartment, not even to go to across the street to the Pup Parlor or Hudson's. She's got me on lock down, and every five minutes she has to make sure I'm okay. I mean, I totally get it, but she can't keep me cooped up here forever. Not with school starting next week.

Officer Borsch told me when I was in the hospital that I really need to lay low for a while. What's that supposed to mean? There are these insane museum thieves who tried to kill me, and I'm supposed to lay low? Everyone knows the Santa Marina Police Department isn't going to figure this out anytime soon. When have they figured any crime out without my help? Not that I mean to, it always just sort of happens that way.

I really do want to figure this out, but I can understand what the Borsch Man was saying. If I lay low, and basically act like that museum bomb did kill me, I won't have burly museum thieves hunting me down. Which fine, I'd prefer that. But lying low to Grams, apparently means not seeing any of my friends, not getting to figure things out with Hudson, and above all that, not getting to talk to Casey.

He hasn't talked to me since he gave my watch back. What kind of person does that? Saves someone life and that doesn't speak to them? And what about the whole boyfriend-girlfriend thing… are we, like, together now, or what? Because that kind of doesn't work with our parents in their current dating situation. Plus, if we were, why won't he _at least_ call me?

Even though there were plenty of other things I could've focused on in my captivity, my stupid brain choose to focus on this one. Eventually, it was too much to bear. I had to do something. I pulled out my phone, and dialed his number.

**Casey**

My cell phone rang, jolting me awake. I'd fall asleep trying to beat the last level. Whoops. I picked up my phone, and saw the call was from Sammy. My mind wrestled with itself: answer, don't answer, answer, don't answer.

What could I say to her? How could I explain everything? It's not like she could just forget the fact I almost got her killed. She probably hated me. But if she hated me, why would she be calling me?

I took a deep breath, and answered my phone.

"Uh, hello?"

**Sammy**

My heart pounded as the phone rang and rang and no one answered. He wouldn't just ignore my call, would he? Finally, I heard someone pick it up.

"Uh, hello?" he paused, "Sammy?"

Now that he had answered, I didn't know what to say. Thank you? It seemed so little to say to someone who saved your life. Before I could speak, he did.

"Sammy, I'm sorry. I can't, I don't…" His voice trailed off.

"What are you trying to say? Sorry for what? Why haven't you talked to me? Can someone tell me what's going on between us?" Everything I had been thinking spilled out, I even felt a tear run down my face.

"Sammy… I can't deal with this right now, okay? I'll talk to you-"

"No. Casey. Talk to me, now. Tell me what's going on. You can't just save my life one week, and then completely ignore me the next!" As far as I could remember, this was the only time I'd ever yelled at Casey.

"… I didn't save your life." He said after a long time.

"Yeah, right. You just ran through a dark museum tunnel, punched Officer Borsch in the face, dug through mounds of dirt, called an ambulance just to be cool. Casey, if it wasn't for you, I'd be dead." I told him, yet another tear slipping from my eyes.

" Sammy, don't you get it? It's my fault you were in that mess in the first place!" His voice rose, but I didn't think it was to me, but to himself. What was I supposed to say to that? He wasn't right, I knew that much, but how was I supposed to get him to believe what was right?

"Casey, don't you know me well enough? I would've gotten into that trouble with or without you. It always happens, trouble follows me. Don't you dare blame yourself for that!" I yelled back, hoping he'd believe me.

"But Sammy-"

"No. You didn't do this! Quit it! It's my fault! If you're going to blame yourself every time I get in trouble, you might as well just quit hanging around me!" At that point, I was so frustrated, confused and in tears that I just hung up the phone.


	15. Chapter 14

**Casey**

I heard the phone click before her last sentence registered in my mind. In frustration, I kicked the mental frame on my bed and then winced in pain. What was I supposed to do now? She hadn't hated me before, but now, well, I'd never heard her that mad.

Maybe she was right. Trouble followed her. If she wasn't in it, she was just barely getting out of it. Was I really up for that? Was I really up to having a girlfriend whose life was almost always in danger, in one way or another?

**Sammy**

"Sammy, what's wrong?" Grams came in to the living room. I just sniffled. I was curled up on the couch, Dorito by my side.

"Tell me what's wrong." Grams sat down beside me, careful not to bother Dorito

"It's nothing." I said, wiping my eyes.

"Now, I know that's not true. It's Casey, isn't it?" Grams could see through me better than a pane of Windex-cleaned glass.

"Maybe." I told her, turning away.

"Don't worry, he'll come around and start talking to you again." Grams patted my leg.

He probably won't look at me, let alone talk to me anymore. After all, didn't I basically just yell at him to get out of my life?

**Casey**

Riding my board seemed to clear things up a little. I knew exactly what I had to do, I just didn't know how to do it. So I went to the one place advice could always be found.


	16. Chapter 15

**Sammy**

The next day, Grams let me go to Hudson's. It was good to get everything off my chest. Hudson didn't say much though, just offered some lemonade and a listening ear. I was explaining the thing about not knowing what to do about Casey, when who walks up the sidewalk?

None other than Mr. Easter Egg Eyes himself. It seemed to be a trend of his to show up here at the most awkward of times.

"Hi, Hudson," He called up the sidewalk, he looked at me, "Sammy."

"Uh, I gotta go." I said, and raced off, not in the mood to face the awkwardness of a conversation.

**Casey**

Okay, so going to the place Sammy always goes for advice probably wasn't the smartest decision. Now things are even more awkward! I really hope Hudson has some idea of how I'm supposed to do this, because I honestly have no clue right now.

**Sammy**

Maybe I should just forget him. Forget I ever knew Casey Acosta and then everything would be better. Marissa would kill me if she knew I was thinking that. But really, what else is there to do?

"Sammy! Wait!" The voice I had wanted to forget called after me. I stopped my board and waited for him to catch, not daring to turn around.

"Look, I'm sorry I haven't called. I'm sorry I haven't explained anything. But I'll try to now, if you're willing to listen." He said, stumbling over his words. Something in his voice made me turn around and look up into his eyes.

"I'm listening." I told him.

"Sammy," He started, his hand running through his hair, " I'm not sure how I'm supposed to say this. I'm sorry for ignoring you, not talking to you and everything else I've done this last week that's been a jerk move."

I looked at him, forcing myself to focus on everything he was saying and not interrupt.

"I'm just going to say, I really care about you, Samantha, and the whole you almost dying thing had me really freaked out." He continued.

"Yeah, you and me both." I muttered. Whoops, failed the not saying anything.

"Sammy, I care about you so much, and I can't stand to lose you. So next time you decide to get in trouble, get kidnapped, or try to solve a crime. You're taking me with you. And if you won't do that, I'll make sure I go with you. The way, you'll have your boyfriend to protect you."

As soon as the words registered in my mind, I kissed my boyfriend, Casey Warren Acosta.


End file.
